MassDOT Reminds All Motorists Roadway Safety Is a Shared Responsibility

03:32PM / Saturday, March 22, 2025Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON —The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) have announced a Motorcycle Safety Awareness Period from March 23 to April 30, 2025.

The announcement emphasizes the shared responsibility of roadway safety for all motorists. MassDOT urges vehicle drivers to exercise caution, particularly when changing lanes and making turns, by "looking twice" for motorcycles. Motorcycle operators are advised to wear visible clothing and adhere to speed limits.

Data from MassDOT's IMPACT crash data portal indicates 71 motorcycle operator fatalities in Massachusetts in 2024, a 22% increase from 58 fatalities in 2023. One motorcycle passenger fatality was also recorded in 2024.

The RMV promotes the Massachusetts Rider Education Program (MREP), which offers training courses for motorcycle riders of varying experience levels. The program includes waiver courses such as the Basic Rider Course, Basic Rider Course 2, Returning Rider - Basic Rider Course, and 3 Wheel - Basic Rider Course, as well as non-licensing courses.

MassDOT has also released a series of public service announcement (PSA) videos featuring MassDOT employees who are licensed motorcyclists. These videos address common safety concerns and provide riding tips, including the importance of visibility, cautious riding, and anticipating potential hazards. The videos are available on MassDOT’s YouTube channel.

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Fenton: Governor's Council Must Deliver for the Berkshires

Community submissionGuest Column
10:22AM / Friday, August 28, 2026

I am a Springfield lawyer running for Governor's Council and I am asking for Berkshire County residents to support me over an incumbent from North Adams.

Here's why: Last year I learned about staffing issues in our regional courts that I could not ignore. In 2025, it was reported that four of Western Massachusetts' 11 Superior Court judgeships were vacant, all at the same time. A few weeks later, that grew to five vacancies. This meant there were only six Superior Court judges serving all of Western Mass at a time when Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties had more than 100 pending homicide cases.

Those numbers were alarming to me, so I started to engage with leaders in the community who work most closely with the court system and I came to learn that these vacancies were only the tip of the iceberg here in Berkshire County.

I learned that no Superior Court or District Court judge had been appointed from the Berkshires since the current incumbent took office. As a result, there is not a single Superior Court judge who lives in the Berkshires today, and several of the District Court judges drive in from other counties to support Berkshire courts in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, and North Adams. Court staff also informed me about severe staffing shortages at the Berkshire Clerk of Courts office resulting in other counties needing to loan staff to the Berkshires just so hardworking employees can take a brief and planned summer vacation. This is not normal. These issues are a reflection of genuine problems with the Berkshire County court system and show a lack of proactive attention from our Governor's Councilor.

Instead of focusing on regional equity, I watched as the current incumbent celebrated that she has voted against the governor's nominees more than any other councilor, without much explanation as to why. Most recently, she voted against two extremely qualified former prosecutors for the Parole Board. This was despite an in-person plea from the governor and a letter of support from all the three of the district attorney's from Western Mass. Those votes do not show independence or standing up for principles, they demonstrate naivete, and an unwillingness to work with the key stakeholders.

I had seen and heard enough. I decided to jump in the race and challenge the incumbent to address these problems head-on.

I am a partner of a regional law firm. I understand our courts and the importance of having qualified, fair and hardworking judges. And I know how important it is to have judges from the Berkshires serving the Berkshires. To achieve that, you need strong relationships with the legal community and local stakeholders. You need to know how to use the power of the Governor's Council to fight forcefully for our region. And you need to be laser focused on identifying vacancies before they occur so that they can be filled quickly with local candidates.

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